This vegan and gluten free gingerbread is spicy, hearty, and studded with walnuts, chocolate, and candied ginger.
Also - the Wild Friends snack pack giveaway ends midnight on Monday!
My brother and I started a holiday tradition, where we could cook a big dinner for my dad’s side of the family the night before Christmas. It started out as just a baking activity. We had so many fails, it became almost a joke. Like that time we tried to make gingerbread cookies and they were so hard that you could throw them against a wall and they wouldn’t break (we tried) or when we just got goofy with the sugar cookie batter and made this giant, pretty inedible snowman.
Our cooking exploits have gotten a LOT better over the years. We’ve made pot roast and lasagna and cookie trays that have been a lot more successful. My little brother has become quite an excellent sous chef. But we haven’t tried the gingerbread again…until now.
MOLASSES. That’s what we were missing all along! After teaching Spinning on Sunday morning, I was milling around the store looking for some baking inspiration and I came across molasses. Gingerbread it was going to be! What an amazing ingredient for texture and flavor. And boy do you just love that color.
It rained like crazy intermittently throughout the weekend. It was kind of wild! I was worried it was going to break the windows. But that just meant it was the perfect time to do some holiday baking. Since it doesn’t rain very often around here (hi, drought) when it does, you really want to embrace it and bake and snuggle in bed and write holiday cards and burn candles and eat soup. So I did just that. “Easy like Sunday morning”…just all day.
Since we’re going to Mexico over the Christmastime week, I’m not sure what kind of cooking and baking we’ll be able to do, but rest assured that if there are any kitchen fails, I will share them with you. But in the meantime, please enjoy this kitchen success!
- 3 cups gluten free flour blend (or 3 cups regular flour, if not gluten free)
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup molasses
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ⅓ chopped candied ginger
- ⅓ chopped walnuts
- 1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips (Enjoy Life is a great brand)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
- Mix spices, sugar, and flour
- Mix in wet ingredients
- Fold in walnuts, ginger, and chocolate chips
- Line your muffin tin with liners
- Fill each liner to almost the top with batter
- Bake for 30 minutes
- Test with a knife or toothpick that it comes clean
- Cool on a rack and enjoy!
If you like these, you’ll love: Pumpkin Pie Crumble Bars (vegan and gluten free)
Thanks for stopping by! 
Ha!! That gingerbread cookie-I love/hate kitchen fails. As for these muffins, I am in love with the chocolate gingerbread combo, so I know these would be a winner.
Erin @ The Almond Eater recently posted…Cinnamon Spice and Pomegranate Oatmeal
Kitchen fails are humbling/hilarious/commonplace when you’re a blogger, as you know 🙂
Awww! You and your brother are so cute!! I love that gingerbread man! 🙂 …and speaking of ginger bread, this recipe tho!! <3 love it! SO happy that you made it g.free/ vegan 🙂 Also, I have been meaning to find some fun, festive, seasonal treats to make! Once finals are done (This Thursday!!) I'll be baking it up in the kitchen! Thanks for the lovely recipe!
Cailee recently posted…Hello Pretty Food!
Good luck with finals!! Holiday baking will be the light at the end of the tunnel!
These muffins look amazing- I love the maple and ginger
Rahul @ samosastreet recently posted…Shrimp Samosa
They are REALLY good flavors together! Spicy and sweet.
These look AMAZING. I love gingerbread anything but have never made gingerbread muffins. Have fun in Mexico and can’t wait to hang when you’re back!
Hayley Blake recently posted…Weekend Highlights // Yoga + Holiday Party
Can’t wait to hang out too!!
that is the cutest gingerbread cookie, hehe. I haven’t made any gingerbread goodies yet….don’t judge!!
Jess @hellotofit recently posted…Monday Motivation: Just BEGIN
haha! no judgements here!
i love this recipe! And that’s such a great holiday tradition, cooking with other is so much better than by yourself. Enjoy your vacation in Mexico!
Liora (Allthingsloveli) recently posted…Half-Baked Apple Latkes
I’ve had some epic kitchen fails. A lot of mine these days involve breaking glassware on my floor… ugh.
Cassie @ Almost Getting it Together recently posted…Horchata Overnight Oatmeal [Gluten-Free, Vegan]
Ughhh that’s the worst. We go through wine glasses in our apt like its our job.
Love how these muffins look! I haven’t made anything gingerbread yet this holiday season, and I think I should get on that stat.
Gingerbread is so festive! So dark and rich.
I actually think your sugar cookie snowman is very pretty! 🙂
These gingerbread muffins look unreal! I wish I had some during all of that rain we had this weekend. It was kind of crazy but I loved every second! Also, I’m super jealous of your Mexican Christmas. I hope you have as much fun as I think you’re going to have! 😉
Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health recently posted…Pear and Arugula Salad with Cranberry Orange Dressing
That is the plan, no doubt!! 🙂
These look so hearty! It’s like having your own little gingerbread loaf.
Kate recently posted…“Accomplishments”
Pre-proportioned!
Dani, these look DELICIOUS! I posted a Gingerbread Smoothie recipe today, so clearly we both have molasses on our minds! 😉
Rachel Pattison (Little Chef Big Appetite) recently posted…Gingerbread Smoothie
Molasses in smoothies?! Yum!!
adding chocolate and maple to gingerbread always sounds like a good idea! This looks so good 🙂
rachel @ athletic avocado recently posted…BGB Secret Santa
an incredible flavor combo for sure!!
STOP. I am obsessed with these! They look so fluffy and soft and perfect in every way. You go girl🙌🏼
Emilie @ Emilie Eats recently posted…Vegan Gingerbread Cookies + BGB Community Secret Santa Exchange!
The muffin top action on these muffins was excellent 🙂
Ahhhh these look so good! Had to feature them in my link up! Too good to pass up, Dani. 🙂
Julia @ Lord Still Loves Me recently posted…Winter Food Recipe Roundup (Link Love!)
Thank you, Julia!!
Woahhh these sound amazzinngggg. Love chocolate and gingerbread together! And I LOVE Christmastime baking fails, in a sense that they can be hysterical. My sisters and I always try to build gingerbread houses, or make cookies or those chocolate pretzel treats. Something always goes wrong each year. But it makes us laugh so much thinking about the memories 😀
Ashley @ Fit Mitten Kitchen recently posted…BGB Holiday Gift Exchange
I want to start a gingerbread house making party tradition!
These are incredible! O my goodness! I must make them <3
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine recently posted…Friday Finisher 12/18/15
Let me know if you do!
These look SO good! I’ve never tried candied ginger, but it sounds delicious. I’ve been eating my fair share of Gingerbread this season so I think this recipe needs to get in the mix 🙂
Kellen recently posted…30 Minute Pyramid Run